Suzi Davis travel agency honored

American Express Travel has once again given Suzi Davis Travel in Bloomington the Representative Excellence Award. Twenty-five agency members of the American Express Travel U.S. Representative Travel Network were honored based on superior sales in meeting cruise and tour supplier goals or highest year-over-year sales growth. The winners receive a seven-day trip on the Silvesea Silver Spirit from Southampton, England, to Barcelona, Spain. It is the sixth consecutive year Suzi Davis Travel received the award. “From my perspective this shows the dedication of our people. Without them the good work that we do for so many would not be possible,” said company president Tim Davis. “It also speaks to the local loyal support of our customers, who seem to enjoy escaping the friendly confines from time to time.”

American Express operates one of the world’s largest travel agency networks in more than 140 countries worldwide. Train travel All aboard Amtrak’s new Youtube.com channel, which highlights services offered by train travel. The channel features videos with information on topics such as safety and security, the Trails & Rails program and the Amtrak vision for high-speed rail. Amtrak is using other social media to reach customers and potential customers as well. Amtrak has a Facebook page and an @Amtrak Twitter handle. Not the best time?

With the Midwest just emerging from a long, cold, snowy winter, this may not be the best time to tell readers that Alaskan cruises are expected to fill early this year. AdventureSmith Explorations, a travel company that matches adventure-seeking clients and expedition ships, says Alaskan cruise sales are up nearly a third. The company suggests exploring Alaska’s coastal wilderness aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird or Sea Lion.

Suzi Davis Travel Poster in 2015

Onboard naturalists are part of this program. Need a warm-up?

Cancun, Mexico, heads the travel advisor top 10 list of favorite warm places to visit. Other destinations include St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Miami Beach; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Honolulu; Orlando, Fla.; Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico; and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, though you might want to avoid that last spot. It’s been so hot politically that the U.S. State Department advises against travel there.

Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges recently opened a nine-room Santa Cruz Divers Lodge in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island and the five-room Isabela Divers Lodge in Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island in the Galapagos. The two new lodges bring the company’s total to five. Its goal is to “create a world-class dive destination in the Galapagos by utilizing sustainable, small, island-based accommodations scattered throughout the Galapagos for multi-island, land-based dive packages,” said a company spokesman.